Carpenter's Wharf

Proposal for: The Central Delaware - at Penns Landing

(CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE)

Location: The Philadelphia Waterfront from The Ben Franklin Bridge to Washington Avenue

Description: The total replacement of Penns Landing with "Carpenter's Wharf", the orginal name for the area. The proposal first calls for an office tower at the end of Market Street that matches the height of William Penn at City Hall. The top two protruding stories of this tower are to house the Atwater-Kent Museum of the City of Philadelphia. This would allow visitors to be able to see the plan of the city from William Penn's view point. A low building is adjacent and houses shopping and a market on the ground floor and artisan spaces on the second and third floors.

Second. The river is brought back into the site and closer to Delaware Ave. Instead of rebuilding piers there are a series of "islands" that vistors can walk through and experience landscapes, hisoric maritime vessels, shopping, outdoor events and a revamped Seaport Museum that would house a National Waterway Transportation Museum (more on that later).

Third. Interstate 95 would have the North bound lanes lowered between Walnut Street and Race Street, and the South bound lanes lowered from Chestnut Street to Race Street to accomodate a cap the would go from the high point of Market and Front down the low point of Market and Delaware. This rebuilds what was there prior to the expressway. See Phillyhistory.org for the photos. On top of this cap would be infilled with Office buildings centered on Market Street and Residential buildings centered on Chestnut and Walnut Streets. The Residential would sit around a new park bounded by Front Delaware Chestnut and Walnut. With the demolition of the Ritz Parking Garage Independence Park can now flow down to the river and connect to the new riverfront attractions. With in this new park can be the reconstruction Tuns Tavern at the Corner of Water Street and Tuns Alley (Center of the Park). Tuns Tavern is the birthplace of the US Marine Corps. as well as a Revolution Era Meeting House. The Thomas Bond House and the vacant Hamilton Street House will now sit in a park atmoshpere.